Game Recap for Chapter 4: The Black Boar
Chapter 4: The Black Boar “Mom and Dad, I’m sorry. I know this will break your heart, but I don’t want it. I hate the idea that it’s growing inside me, sapping my strength. I hate that a part of him is still with me and I want to destroy anything that had to do with him. I’ve left. I’m going to wash the baby out and you’ll never see me again. It’s the only way I can spare you the shame of the town.” -Karla Tsernobog Kainen’s Mother In a note to her parents, Lirida and Harog Tsernobog Tesrina stepped back from Sibastian, a trickle of blood streaming from her nose. She stumbled and collapsed onto her cot. Although on the brink of collapsing himself, the ranger came to her side to make sure she was alright. Using the training he had acquired while at Old Mine, Sibastian knew she had taken herself to the limits of her knowledge and paid for it in exhaustion. Needing rest of his own, Sibastian left for his own tent but was intercepted by Vyak. “Sir! Sir! One of the guards, they…they found something strange.” The cripple said. Concern gripping him, Sib followed. Branyet, a town guard from Two Hills, could be seen looking towards the caravan camp, pointing. Curse that rock brained fool, Sib thought. He had given instructions earlier that no one was to go beyond the camp more than 10 feet, and Branyet was out at least 30. The guard had discovered the concealment shaped by Tesrina. From the outside, there was no caravan or camp sounds, just quiet woods; yet walking back inside would hit transgressor with the sights, smells and sounds of a hundred people in one place. Using the silver tongue that had garnered him his followers, Sibastian reminded Branyet that what he thought he had seen sounded crazy. Surely, it was in Branyet’s best interest not to tell anyone about what he though''t he saw. The guard nodded in agreement. Afterwards, Sib was able to get back to his tent and rest. The next day found Tesrina still in bed. Sibastian instructed Tiralyn, the midwife of Greenpine, to watch over “Lady Mirril”. A young man with a limp and a lame left arm introduces himself as Vyak Birinski, the same man from last night, and he informs Sib that the ectors gave him the task writing down the results of the caravan census. Vyak explains that since he was rarely able to play with the other children growing up, he spent a great deal of time learning his letters with the town ector. The ranger immediately names Vyak the town scribe and crier and Vyak takes up this role with intense vigor. Deciding that he should tap into the ectors as a resrouce, Sibastian heads out to meet them in their large red tent. As the discussion unfolds, however, the young man discovers he is dealing with a deadly situation. “We know what she is.” They say. Implying that they believe Lady Mirril is an ''ishraiya. ''Realizing that the three ectors, Orik, Porin and Torig, can possibly incite a riot, or at least some kind of violence, Sib desperately musters all of his diplomatic skills to remind the Protectors that now is the time for unity, not baseless witch hunts. Sibastian also reminds them that even if she is, the Prophet Orastyon worked with the ''ishraiya to help as many people as possible. The caravan leader is able to convince two of the ectors, but the eldest, Torig, remains unconvinced. He informs Sib that he will take no action against Lady Mirril, for now, but that he expects to see her at services more often. Sibastian agrees. Two days later, when Tesrina finally awakens, the ranger informs her of what transpired. “I’m surprised they had not brought this up before.” She said and assured Sib that she would make as much peace as she could. At the next service, Lady Mirril took a front row seat and appeared to know all of the prayers and rituals. That same day, the caravan arrived at Icebridge but made camp a mile east of the river. A party consisting of Sibastian, Kainen, Tesrina, Branyet, Svano, Mireena and Goat head out to meet with Duke Vitor Borienski, the Lord of Icebridge. Having met Vitor before, Tesrina is able to win an audience with the lord, although he makes Sib and his companions wait three hours. The Duke is not pleased. The small villages east of the D’vina never provided much to his reign, and he is hesitant to let hungry, useless mouths into his lands. Lord Borienski informs them that he will give his answer tomorrow. Leaving the Dukes keep, the party witnesses a mob pass by with a bound, naked woman in the middle. Helpless, Kainen and the rest follow. The prisoner is led to the town square, where she is tied to a pole. What appears to be a knight in red is making sure the mob stays back while an ector proclaims the woman’s crimes. “This witch has committed the most heinous of crimes; she has used dark magic upon an unborn child! I have seen it with my own eyes. She cursed our lord’s unborn child with the Burden of the Beast!” The crowd exclaimed their disgust. Sibastian stepped forward to intervene, but Lady Mirril grabbed his arm and said, “Sib, no.” Then, taking a torch, the Protector set the woman ablaze. Shocked and disturbed by the scene, it was decided to send Mireena back to the caravan with Svano and Branyet. Kainem and the rest then head to an inn named the Midwife Boy and have dinner. Vana, a bar wench, offers to sell her body to the three men and Goat is the only one who takes up the offer. Goat comes back and the party heads to bed. Screams and fighting awaken Sib, Kainen and Tesrina. Kainen sneaks over to investigate alone and discovers Vana, head down with her throat slit… Experience: Sibastian Bernard: 125xp (time) + 50xp (Handling the ectors)= 175xp Total Kainen Tsernobog: 125xp (time) + 50xp (investigating Vana)=175xp Total